1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a game machine, a recording medium for a game machine, and a game system. More specifically, the invention is intended to increase an opportunity to play a game with a game machine, such as a slot machine or a poker game machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For example, in game machines for business use, it is naturally desired that a game be enjoyed longer. However, a player who is playing a game with the same game machine for a long time sometimes gets tired of the game. In addition, if the number of wins with a game machine, which is being played by a player who is wedded to the issue of a game, is small, the player soon leaves the game machine. Therefore, in recent game machines, various devices for increasing an opportunity to play a game have been incorporated.
For example, in some slot machines, in a li-zhi state wherein a hit may be made in accordance with a design determined by the stop position of the last reel to remain rotating, the rotating speed of the remaining reel is varied in a manner which is different from a usual pattern, until the reel is stopped, so that the expectation of a hit is increased to retain the player""s interest. In addition, in some slot machines, when a predetermined hit is made, the machine automatically plays roulette as a bonus game to pay coins in accordance with the position of a stopped ball to increase the reward for a win and to thereby enhance interest to the player.
In game machines installed in casinos, the players concern is often the outcome of the game. Such a player wants to more quickly ascertain the issue of the game, rather than enjoy the change in operation of li-zhi, so that change in exhibiting the game does not always contribute to an increase of the opportunity to play the game for such a player.
In addition, even in the case of a game machine providing a bonus game, although a reward per game is slightly increased, the player leaves his/her seat after having spent a predetermined amount of money, so that the bonus game only slightly contributes to an increased opportunity to play the game.
It is therefore desired to provide a game machine having a new function of increasing a player""s opportunity to play a game, so that it is an object of the present invention to provide such a game machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording medium which can be used in such a game machine, and a game system including such a game machine and recording medium as components.
In order to accomplish the aforementioned and other objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game machine for executing a program for play of a game wherein a hit is made or lost as the result of the game, the game machine comprising: character storing means for storing information about a character which is provided separately from the game; and character raising means for growing the character stored in the character storing means, when the result of the game is a predetermined hit.
The game machine may further comprise: recording medium access means for detachably holding a portable recording medium for a game machine, and for accessing the held recording medium for the game machine; and character information storage control means for causing information about a character, which has been stored in the recording medium for the game machine, to be read out by the recording medium access means and to be stored in the character storing means, and for causing the character, which has been stored in the character storing means, to be recorded in the recording medium for the game machine by the recording medium access means.
The game machine may further comprise: communication means for communicating with another game machine; and character participating means for transmitting information about the character, which has been stored in the character storing means, to the other game machine via the communication means to cause the character, which has been stored in the character storing means, to participate in a game which is carried out by the other game machine and in which the character serves as a player.
The game machine may further comprise: participation fee receiving means for receiving a participation fee for causing the character to participate in the game which is carried out by the other game machine and in which the character serves as a player; and prize paying means for receiving a payout from the game, which is transmitted from the other game machine, via the communication means when the participating character receives a prize.
The game system includes a first game machine for carrying out a game in which a character is a player; and a second game machine comprising the above described game machine for providing the first game machine with the character which participates in the game carried out by the first game machine.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable recording medium for use in a game machine in which the recording medium is detachably held and which comprises: character storing means for storing information about a character which is provided separately from an executed game; character raising means for growing the character, which has been stored in the character storing means, when the result of the game is a predetermined hit; recording medium access means; and character information storage control means, wherein by control of the character information storage control means, information about the character, which has been stored in the recording medium for the game machine, is read out via the recording medium access means and stored in the character storing means, and information about the character, which has been stored in the character storing means, is recorded via the recording medium access means.
The game system of the invention may include a first game machine for carrying out a game in which a character is a player; and a character participating terminal unit for reading the character, which participates in the game carried out by the first game machine, out of a recording medium for the above described game machine, and to provide the first game machine with the read character.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game machine including: communication means for communicating with another game machine; game-result expected information input means for inputting information as to expectation of the result of a game which is carried out by the other game machine; bet receiving means for receiving a bet on the expected result; information transmitting means for causing the other game machine to transmit the inputted expectation information and information about the bet via the communication means; and dividend paying means for receiving the information about the result of the game, which has been transmitted by the other game machine, via the communication means, and paying a dividend when the information of the result of the game coincidences with the expectation bet upon.
In another embodiment the game system includes: a first game machine for carrying out a predetermined game; and a fourth game machine comprising the above described game machine for inputting to a third game machine information as to the expected result of the game played by the third game machine.